Abu Hanza arrested in London

Hamza held in pre-dawn swoop

Controversial Muslim cleric Abu Hamza is facing extradition to the US on terror charges after he was arrested in a pre-dawn raid.

Officers from Scotland Yard detained the hook-handed preacher at his London home at around 3am on Thursday.

Hamza, 47, who preached at a London mosque linked to al Qaida terrorists involved in the September 11 attacks, was taken to a central London police station by anti-terrorist branch officers.

He was appearing before senior district judge Timothy Workman at the magistrates court at Belmarsh high security prison in south east London. After his arrest, anti-terrorist branch detectives carried out a search of his home in Shepherds Bush, west London.

Scotland Yard announced the raid in a statement released at 6.30am.

The statement read: "At approximately 3am today a British citizen, aged 47, was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) following receipt of a US request for his extradition.

"The man was arrested at his home address in west London under an extradition warrant issued by Bow Street Magistrates Court. He was arrested by officers from the MPS Extradition and International Assistance Unit.

"Officers from the MPS Anti-Terrorist Branch escorted the man to a central London police station where he remains in custody. The man is due to appear at Bow Street Magistrates Court, sitting at Belmarsh, later today.

"Officers from the Anti-Terrorist Branch are conducting a search of the premises under the Extradition Act 2003."

Extradition cases are usually heard at Bow Street Magistrates Court in central London, but the hearing was switched to Belmarsh for security reasons. At the hearing, details of the extradition warrant and the offences he is accused of by the US authorities will be heard.

Seven days a week this piece of garbage preaches to the young muslims of London to hate the British/Americans and the western world and everything it stands for whilst we supply him with free living accomodation free healthcare, pay all his utility bills and feed him.

I wonder if the wonderful "east" would be as tolerant towards a white Brit who was preaching in their country that the muslim world should be eradicated?